Global Brief: Oct 12 – Oct 18
Washington enacted a 500 percent tariff on Russian goods, then waived most of it the same day. Brussels added 1,569 names. Inside the widening split.
Nick Dimmer
Nick Dimmer writes Life Sufficient, an independent publication on geopolitics, money, privacy, and resilience. A software engineer by background, he reads central bank documents and government reports so you don't have to.
Global Brief: Oct 5 – Oct 11
A missile strike on Riyadh's airport tightened world diesel markets, Washington sanctioned a court, and Brussels hedged on China. The week's common thread.
Global Brief: Sep 28 – Oct 5
The G7 opened its oil reserves, the Fed and the ECB raised rates, and Iran sanctions reached the carmakers. One supply shock, three different answers.
Why Europe's central bank is putting its money on-chain
In 1907, overnight money in New York hit 100% a year. The ECB says stablecoins can't stop a repeat, so it is moving central bank money onto its own ledger.
Global Brief: Sep 21 – Sep 27
Washington gained a veto over Arctic investment, a $30 billion tariff deal with Beijing, and a blockade that held. The pattern connecting all three.
Global Brief: Sep 14 – Sep 20
Congress made the Russia and Iran sanctions campaign permanent, the IAEA lost track of Iran's uranium, and oil demand fell for the first time since COVID.
Global Brief: Sep 07 – Sep 13
The US says it is sinking Iranian tankers and holding Maduro in custody. The nuclear watchdog says it has not seen Iran's uranium in more than a year.
Global Brief: Aug 31 – Sep 6
Washington took a 35% stake in the company now running 17 Venezuelan oil fields. Three other governments made similar moves. The pattern, explained.
Global Brief: Aug 24 – Aug 30
Treasury opened sanctions on five sectors of Iran's economy at once. Hours earlier, Syria came off the terrorism list. One office made both decisions.
Europe's rearmament: what the ECB knows and what it doesn't
Published estimates of what a euro of defence spending does to GDP range from minus 2.5 to plus 3.5. The ECB put that slide in its own presentation.
Global Brief: Aug 17 – Aug 23
Washington sanctioned a court, a government and a drug fleet in three days. Ukraine's occupied nuclear plant ran out of power lines. See what connects them.
Global Brief: Aug 10 – Aug 16
Washington taxed drones and rebuilt its shipyards by decree, Europe moved to board Russian tankers, and Beijing passed 1,242 articles of environmental law.